Any Who Are Worthy
by YellowRocksMySocks
Summary: Beth likes to practice with the Avenger's weapons in secret. What will happen when they find out?
1. Not So Secret

I'm in the gym, late at night. I'm throwing Steve's shield around, trying to master the whole multiple-takedown thing he does on the rubber dummies. The shield is surprisingly light, even for me. So far, I've managed to break a window. I told everyone it was some dumb kids outside throwing rocks. More like one dumb kid throwing around Captain America's shield. And firing Clint's arrows. Secretly, at night.

I hear a door open. Crap.

"Hell-ooo?" Bruce calls.

Instead of playing it cool, I manage to fling the shield in a way that causes it to smack me directly in the forehead. I take it back when I said it was surprisingly light.

"OOOOWWWWWWWW!" I yell. _No use hiding what I'm doing now. _I'm on the ground, clutching my throbbing head, with the shield still in my hand.

"Um...Beth? What are you doing?" Bruce asks as he kneels down in doctor mode, examining my forehead.

"Well, sometimes I like to come down here and practice with your weapons because it makes me feel cool. Like a superhero. Like someone who can make a difference." I glance at Bruce, his face struggling not to show the laughter I see in his eyes. "Cheesy, I know. But, I've gotten pretty good. I mean, I'm almost always accurate when I use the bow on the moving targets. And I can't remember the last time I dropped the shield during a throw. I have a problem, don't I?"

"I don't think so. You're just a kid playing with the older kid's toys. Although your head has the makings of a nasty bruise. So, you'll probably have to explain that them." He answers.

"Dang it. Should I tell them now? Or tomorrow morning?" I ask. "Wait, no question. I would be a lab experiment if I interrupted Tony's beauty sleep." I say.

"No doubt about it. Wait until the morning. Over an amazing homemade breakfast. I can help." he replies.

"Good idea." I compliment as I set the shield back on its hook and turn the gym lights off.


	2. Breakfast Confession

I set the last plate of bacon on the table. Bruce had helped me put together a giant breakfast for everyone. It included pancakes, French toast, strawberries, whipped cream, coffee, orange juice, and bacon (duh!). Let's just say I wanted the gang to be in the best moods possible. I was pretty sure they would be mad.

"Beth, Bruce, this is amazing!" Clint said as he grabbed the pitcher of coffee.

"Well done!" Thor exclaimed as he stacked ten slices of French toast on his plate and doused them with syrup.

"Can you do this every weekend?" Tony asked as he sprayed whipped cream at Natasha, who promptly smacked him upside the head. I couldn't help but laugh.

I squeezed in between Steve and Thor and chowed down myself, sneaking some bacon away from Thor much to his dismay and much to Steve's amusement. I helped myself to coffee. Breakfast is one of my favorite times with these guys. Everyone talks, laughs, and helps themselves. It's normal. No one is on a mission, passed out in the lab from analyzing all day, or holing up in their room like a recluse. We generally get along, except for the occasional food fights or arguments over who gets the last pancake or who has to do the dishes this time.

I figured it was now or never on the whole confession thing.

I stand up at the table and clear my throat. Everybody turns to me with a quizzical look on their face.

"Um...I have a confession to make." I awkwardly say. I was just so worried that they would be furious. "For a while now, I have sorta been practicing with your weapons in secret..." I say, my voice trailing off at the very end.

"Whose weapons exactly?" Natasha asks.

"Oh don't worry, not your guns." I hastily reply. "Just Steve's shield and Clint's bow."

They both spit out their coffee onto Tony. If I wasn't so scared out of my mind I would have peed myself laughing.

"WHAT THE HECK?" they both shout at the same time and stand up.

I quickly take a few steps back. "I'm really sorry they were just so cool and so one night I picked up the shield and threw it and it made me feel really awesome and then a couple times later I started using the arrows and I have been practicing for a few months now and I feel like I've gotten pretty good!" I spew out, cowering behind the counter. "I promise I didn't scratch the shield or break any arrows."

"Gotten pretty good? I doubt it. No one can master archery or throwing a shield in only a couple of months." Clint snorts.

"Well, I'm on the ultimate Frisbee team at my school and I did archery for four years when I was younger. The basic concepts are the same." I counter, standing but still behind the counter.

"She has a point." Thor cut in. "I say we let Beth show us her talents."

"Yeah! I bet she's better than you Clint!" Tony taunts.

"Shut it Astro Boy!" Clint says back as we all head to the gym.


	3. Demonstration

I fire a fifth arrow at the moving targets, hitting a bulls-eye for the third time in a row. Each time I turn around to look at my friends, they are mechanically clapping with their mouths hanging open. Even Tony is speechless.

"Well, there are my archery skills. I guess I'll show you what I can do with the shield." I say, putting Clint's arrows back in the quiver. I walk over and grab Steve's shield off the hook on the wall.

I set up the rubber dummies. I'm especially nervous about this one. _Dear God, please help me to not screw this up, _I pray as I get into position. I close my eyes and take a deep breath.

I throw the shield. It hits the first, then the second, and then the third dummy, and arcs back right into my hand.

Immediately everyone goes crazy.

"How the heck is she that good?" Tony yells.

"That took me forever to master!" Steve complains.

"Impressive." Natasha says with a smile.

"Hey Thor! Why don't you let Beth give your hammer a try?" Bruce suggests.

He laughs. "I would, but only I can pick it up." he says.

"Aw come on! Can I at least try?" I plead.

"I suppose so." he replies with a shrug.

I walk over to the hammer and square off my shoulders and wiggle my hands.

I grab the handle and pick it up.

Everyone looks at me and gasps while I hold a weapon only the Asgardian should be able to hold.

"Th-That's not possible..." Thor says.


	4. Any Who Are Worthy

"Excuse me," I calmly say. I set the hammer down carefully and then walk into the gym bathroom. Once I'm inside, I shut the door slowly.

"OH MY GOODNESS WHAT THE HECK JUST HAPPENED? THIS MAKES NO SENSE I'M NOT EVEN ASGARDIAN WHAT DOES THIS MEAN DO I HAVE SUPERPOWERS? I'M GONNA HAVE SO MUCH STREET CRED IT'S RIDICULOUS! AM I CONSIDERED A SUPERHERO NOW I MEAN I JUST PICKED UP THE MIGHTY THOR'S HAMMER! AHHHHHHHHH!"

I carefully open the door and walk back outside. Everyone is just staring at the hammer with dumbfounded expression. "So...um, that was weird right?" I awkwardly say, trying but failing to bring some humor into the situation.

"Any who are worthy of the power of Thor may wield his hammer. You are worthy, Lady Beth." Thor says; momentarily back in his habit of fancy titles. "And you are a Midguardian. Impressive. I am privileged to share this honor with you. The hammer judges not only strength, but heart. And we all know your heart is the strongest out of all of us."

My family is grinning at me from ear to ear.

"Consider yourself an Avenger, Beth." Tony says. "You obviously can fight like the rest of us. Whaddya say?"

"Of course I would!" I shout and tackle the group in a giant hug.


End file.
